I think Cow's milk is junk. Anyone give their toddler coconut milk or almond milk instead? You know, just for a drink with nutrients and calories for my little one? I feed her VERY healthy foods already. She should not be lacking many vitamins, if any.
I would reconsider cow's milk. You might think it's junk, but science has proven otherwise. It's extremely healthy and very beneficial.
Why is goats milk so superior to cows milk/
young children need the fat and calories from milk. toddlers do not eat a lot of food and most don't eat a wide variety of types of food.
so they need nutrient dense food... so they can get all of their nutrients..
Junk? Reconsider your language there. Coming out of the gate insulting an entire segment of parents that serve their children milk ON PURPOSE NO LESS isn't going to get you the responses you're looking for. Quit acting like a troll.
My middle daughter is lactose intolerant, so we get her organic lactose-free cow's milk which I use in baking and other types of cooking. Any recipe that calls for milk and I can put that milk in it, unless it's pudding.
Otherwise, she enjoys organic soy milk. She detests the other types of milk. She hates the odors and textures and flavors. She has Sensory Processing Disorder, so there's no way around that.
Luckily the soy milk that she enjoys is fortified with everything that the cow's milk she would otherwise drink has in it, including the calcium.
Unless your child is allergic, I would highly recommend you reconsider. Drinking another type of "milk" has become very popular, but really it should only be for someone who has an allergy or is lactose intolerant.
It's just like gluten. It's become quite the fad to buy "gluten free" foods. The think is, gluten is very healthy for most of us. Some people, however, have an allergy. They are the ones who need to buy gluten free.
Cow's milk is by far the best source of calcium. Calcium is needed for strong teeth and bones. There really is no ideal substitute.
Did you ask your Pediatrician?
Up to 2 years old, the "milk fats" are an essential nutrient.... per brain development. It is not just for calories or calcium etc.
Good ol' Riley J., who I have not seen here on MamaPedia lately, has repeatedly echoed the same thing.
I would talk to your Pediatrician alternatives.
Coconut milk or almond milk are alternatives. Which many use.
My son drank rice milk, but only because he had a small issue with milk that he grew out of. My son still had some breastmilk to finish as well that he drank until 15 or so months around then cow's milk was good to go in small amounts.
Overall I have no issues with milk and I also think this is a conversation to have with the doctor to make sure there is nothing lacking by removing cow's milk from the diet.
Here's the thing too ... if you remove cow's milk you might as well remove all things made from cows milk - that may equal a dairy issue in her diet.
Talk to the doctor and good luck.
My daughter was on Enfamil Soy. When she turned 1 we had a hard transition to cow's milk. So transitioned her to Enfamil Next Step Soy for about 6 months and then to 2% cows milk.
My daughter drinks almond milk now but until recently she was on soy milk.
My Girlfriend did coconut milk for her daughter.
When mine were that young they drank soy milk. Now it's either almond or rice. I am with you cow's milk is nasty!!! But my boys are alergic to it.
Many people use soy. I personally don't think soy is the huge estrogen problem that some people worry about, but I also don't feel comfortable feeding soy milk on a daily basis. Other good alternatives are almond, rice and coconut milks, but they don't have the high fat and protein content that cow's milk have. Goats milk is a great choice, since it doesn't have the same kind of casein (milk protein) that cows milk has, but can get expensive and hard to source. If you do choose to go with almond, rice or coconut milk, make sure that you give your toddler lots of other sources for healthy fats, such as avocado, nut butters, etc. Also, talk to your child's doctor to see what they recommend!
ETA - I forgot to mention hemp milk! I don't have personal experience with it, but a friend of mine loves it for her 18 month old. She is a trained nutritionist and after a lot of research, she decided to go with hemp milk.
My then 1 yr old (she's 4 now) couldn't tolerate cows milk so I switched her to rice milk, I'm not sure if that's healthy enough for your preferences but it worked great for her ;)
If she is currently breast feeding them just keep giving her that, extended breast feeding is becoming more and more the norm. If she is currently drinking formula then almond milk (as long as there are no nut allergies) or goats milk could be a good sub. Cows milk is okay, just try to find organic grass fed hormone free milk. I would skip soy milk altogether.
Talk to your doctor. If you're choosing an alternative milk, you need to make sure that your child is getting enough protein, fat, potassium and calcium in their diet. Most alternate milks lack at least one, and often two, of these prime components. Most alternate milks also need to be shaken before drinking them - a sign that perhaps the components inside aren't as natural as they should be, since they aren't occurring equally throughout the milk.
My son is highly allergic to cow's milk. I'd give ANYTHING to have him be able to tolerate it.
She needs the fat of cows milk. Try organic if need be but the other milks are fake. After being on breast milk or formula she needs the calories from milk
My daughter is turning 1 year old in a few weeks. I started giving her a bit of cow's milk with her solids in addition to the breastmilk she still gets. I also plan to give her goat's milk, which I've read is easier on the tummy.
My daughter drank goat's milk. It's a great alternative to cow's milk and has healthy fats that the brain needs.
